Enrollment
479
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Canton, MI
Bentley Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Bentley Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 262856000292
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bentley Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools.
- #8 of 11
- schools in Canton · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 22.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Bentley Elementary School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bentley Elementary School ranks #8 of 11 schools in Canton, MI.
School address
District: Plymouth-Canton Community Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262856000292 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.0%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bentley Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bentley Elementary School
Bentley Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Canton, Michigan, enrolling 479 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 22.0% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 479 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 498 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #361, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Asian (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 479 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Canton's public schools, it stands alongside Canton Preparatory High School (612 students): Bentley Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 18:1).
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools also operates Canton High School (1,899 students) and Salem High School (1,871 students) alongside Bentley Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bentley Elementary School compares
Bentley Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.5:1 | ▼ 11% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.0% | ▼ 59% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 479 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
479
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 37% in Michigan - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,630
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 479 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 60.1%
Asian 16.1%
African American 10.6%
Two or More 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 60.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.4, Bentley Elementary School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, which includes Bentley Elementary School.
$13,630
Per student
+1%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 55.4%
Federal 9.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bentley Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Salem High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Plymouth High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pioneer Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bentley Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,871
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,816
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 817
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar other schools in Canton
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~479 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bentley Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Bentley Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Plymouth-Canton Community Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bentley Elementary School
How many students attend Bentley Elementary School?
Bentley Elementary School has 479 students enrolled. It is a public school in Canton, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bentley Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bentley Elementary School is 15.5:1, which is 11% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bentley Elementary School?
22.0% of students at Bentley Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bentley Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Bentley Elementary School is White at 60.1% of enrollment, in Canton, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bentley Elementary School?
Bentley Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bentley Elementary School rank among schools in Canton?
By Resource Investment Index, Bentley Elementary School ranks #8 of 11 schools in Canton, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Canton on the city page.
Is Bentley Elementary School a good school?
Bentley Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Michigan schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Plymouth-Canton Community Schools?
Besides Bentley Elementary School, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools also operates Canton High School (1,899 students), Salem High School (1,871 students), and Plymouth High School (1,816 students). See the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.